Golf Ball Returning Device from Both a Golf Net Training Device and a Putting Training Device

ABSTRACT

A tight mesh golf net with a support frame that returns the ball to a wide channel at the back of a putting training device, which also returns balls that fall through a hole on the surface of a rising platform, or roll off the surface of the raised platform, the highest point of the raised platform being away from the golfer who is practicing putting, the wide channel being higher on the end away from the ball return channel, and lower at the point of the return channel, which returns golf balls to the practicing golfer, the tight mesh golf net has three target squares on it roughly in the middle of the net, one square near the bottom of the middle of the net, the bottom target square, one on top of the bottom target square, the middle target square, and one square on top of the middle target square, the top target square.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for receiving (catching) and returning a golf ball, both golf balls hit with irons and woods which are caught by a net, and putted balls, which enter the return system via a hole in the putting training surface, balls from both the net and putting holes enter a channel across the back of the putting platform, and the a return channel on the side of the putting platform.

BACKGROUND

Golf is a popular sport and in many cases it takes a long time to practice successfully. Thus, golfers often spend a lot of time practicing to improve and improve their golf skills in order to excel in this sport.

In general, golfers typically practice by hitting a golf ball at an outdoor driving range, or at a practice putting green so that they can repeatedly polish their skills by hitting the golf ball squarely and straight and hit putts in the direction they desire. A golf driving range or a practice putting green provide important means for practice, but in many cases golfers must drive for 10-30 minutes or longer to the driving range, and it takes the same time to return home. Traveling to the practice range can be time consuming. In many cases, an extra 30 minutes to 1 hour is spent traveling.

Golfers desire a solution so that golfers can practice in a smaller space (often at the golfer's home or backyard) to eliminate the need to visit an outdoor driving range or practice putting green and provide more practice time for the golfer. This device has been invented to allow golfers to practice at home or at another convenient location. This device also combines a golf net and practice putting green to lower the costs of owning both practice aids, and to make the storage envelope of the device smaller than two separate practice devices.

Golf nets on the market currently still have some drawbacks that prevent them from becoming popular practice methods for so-called average golfers. First, the average golf net has the disadvantage of being generally bulky in structure Windall, U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,146 shows that today's golf nets are bulky when attempting to provide the user with some visual feedback of the golf ball. In fact, even in the recent stages, outdoor golf nets often reach a size of over 20 feet in height, making it difficult to incorporate into a small environment within a home. Other net based patents include U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,780, Virzetis, U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,319, Lee, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,418, Magucci.

At home putting based devices include U.S. Pat. No. 8,215,083, McGuire, and 201218441 are typical of many products on the market. In that the putts simply roll back the user, so the user can putt the ball once again toward the target hole. Practice putting greens currently on the market do not have a ball return feature, so golfers spend time running down their previous shots, time that can be better spent practicing their putting.

No patents were uncovered that combine the golf net with the putting surface and this combination of the two products is what makes this application unique.

One drawback with typical golf nets is that considerable assembly and disassembly is required to prepare the device for use. This is especially problematic in situations where space is at a premium and bulky golf nets cannot be left undisturbed without disturbing the daily activities of the resident family. Often due to the tedious process, golfers often give up and avoid practice because of the long time spent assembling and disassembling.

Finally, another drawback with typical golf nets is that golf nets are often require golfers to step into the net to retrieve the balls, which may have been caught in the debt. Golf nets can be very fragile and require frequent replacement. This short life and awkward use often keeps golfers away from practice with the net, and also discourages golfers from purchasing a golf net.

Therefore, as you can see from the above, despite all attempts to address the golfer's need to practice as required by the golf net and putting green, the current technology is not compact, long-lasting while still being cumbersome to use for ordinary golfers. Current equipment does not provide a suitable solution, to bring about “at home” practice equipment.

Objective

One aspect of the present invention is a golf ball receiving device that returns the golf ball to the golfer, both from a net and from a putting training device, eliminating the need to retrieve the ball from the net, and to retrieve a putted ball.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To achieve this ball returning objective, a raised platform rising on a slated angle from the floor of the device part nearest the golfer, towards the end that is furthest away from the golfer, with a back channel that collects golf balls that fall through golf putting holes, and putted golf balls that miss the putting holes and roll off the back of the raised platform, and golf balls that fall down from a golf net into the back channel, the back channel being higher than the ball return channel and the back channel being higher on the side of the device opposite of where the return channel is. The back channel lies across the back of the platform and sends the ball to a ball return channel, which runs alongside the platform, the back of the ball return channel higher on the end away from the golfer to facilitate the ball moving in the desired direction. These features, aspects and advantages of the present invention, as well as other features, aspects and advantages will be better understood with reference to the following drawings, specification and claims.

DRAWINGS Description of Numbered Features

1. Putting platform

2. Ball return channel

3. Raised platform section

4. Putting holes

5. Smaller putting hole

6. Return net for golf shots

7. Back channel for balls from golf net and putting holes

8. Golf ball, not part of invention, but shows how golf balls move

9. Higher end of the back channel

10. Lower end of the back channel, but still higher than the ball return channel

11. Higher end of the ball return channel

12. Slanted angle of the section of the putting platform that rises to the raised platform

SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a ¾ view of the golf net and putting training device.

FIG. 2 shows a back view of the golf net and putting training device.

FIG. 3 shows golf balls moving through the golf net and putting training device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DEVICE

FIG. 1 shows the device from a ¾ view. The device comes with a putting surface and a chipping matt that goes on top of the putting surface to hit balls into the golf net. The device has a return net 6 which drops balls into a back channel 7, and the balls then flow to a ball return channel 2, before being returned to the point of the device closest to the golfer. A putting surface 1 has an incline platform 3 on the section furthest from the golfer, with a golf hole 4 on one side of the raise platform and a smaller sized hole 5 on the other side of the raised platform. FIG. 1 also shows the slanted portion of the raised platform 12 that rises to the top of the raised platform section of the putting platform.

FIG. 2 shows the device from the rear, showing the back channel 7 that balls from the net 6 and balls that through a putting hole (4 and 5) flow into, and also putts that go off the end of the raised platform section 3. Golf balls 8 are shown so the path of the golf balls 8 through the back channel can be seen. FIG. 2 also shows the raised end of the back channel 9, the lower end of the back channel 10, which is still above the return ball channel, and the raised end of the ball return channel 11

FIG. 3 shows the path of the golf ball 8 through the side channel 2, the golf balls coming both from the golf net 6 and the putting holes 4 and 5. 

I claim:
 1. A device that returns practice golf balls to the user from both a return net and golf balls that fall through putting holes comprising; a putting platform; a raised platform rising up from the putting platform with a slanted section connecting the putting platform to the raised platform section, the raised platform located towards the end of the putting platform furthest away from the golfer, two putting holes, one larger and one smaller, on the top of the raised platform section of the putting platform; the return net rising from the back of the putting platform, attached to the back of the device; a back channel on the end of the putting platform furthest away from the user, that collects balls that fall down from the net, and also collects balls that fall through the putting holes or putts that miss the putting holes and roll off the back of the raised platform section of the putting platform, the back channel lies across the back of the platform and is elevated above a ball return channel, and an end of the back channel, on the opposite side of the ball return channel is raised over the other end of the back channel’ the back channel on the side of the putting platform opposite a ball return channel being higher than the opposite side, the ball return channel, which runs alongside the putting platform, is lower than the back channel front to facilitate the ball moving in the desired direction to the user. the ball return channel having a higher end at the end of the putting platform furthest away from the user. Whereby, when a golf ball enters one of the putting holes it enters a back channel it then moves through gravity on the slanted back channel and drops into the lower ball return channel where the ball flows through gravity created by a slanted ball return channel back to the user. Whereby, when a golf ball goes into the return net, it falls down and enters a back channel which moves the ball, through gravity on the slanted back channel, where the lower end is still higher than the ball return channel, where the ball flows through gravity created by a slanted channel back to the user.
 2. The device of claim 1 with a putting platform with a raised platform section rising away from the putting platform near the end of the putting platform furthest from the golfer, with the putting surface having multiple holes. 